The Facts

• The palm-sized satellite, made from hinoki magnolia wood using traditional Japanese crafting techniques without screws or glue, will orbit approximately 250 miles above Earth for a six-month testing period.

• Scientists selected hinoki wood after a 10-month experiment aboard the International Space Station, noting its durability in space due to the absence of water and oxygen that typically cause decay.

• The satellite will measure wood's endurance in extreme space conditions, where temperatures fluctuate between -100 and 100 degrees Celsius every 45 minutes during orbit transitions.